Wu do tons of this shit. there's also a Beatles mashup record, and a Hendrix one too.

Wu has nothing to do with it. They're not affiliated with any of those projects. The fact that they're a seminal hip-hop group is the reason they're used in so many mashups. And, for the record, that Beatles one is shit, as well as the "indie" mixes that have been done with Wu's material. Haven't heard the Hendrix one though.

Wu has nothing to do with it. They're not affiliated with any of those projects. The fact that they're a seminal hip-hop group is the reason they're used in so many mashups. And, for the record, that Beatles one is shit, as well as the "indie" mixes that have been done with Wu's material. Haven't heard the Hendrix one though.

So, does Lil B suck? I mean, is he supposed to be awful? Is that the point?

I'm listening to I'm Gay (I'm Happy) and I can tell that he's a total amateur, unremarkable flow meeting fairly typical beats and yet...I absolutely love this. The lyrics are so damn charming and the beats suit the subject matter (as well as his flow) so well that I can get past the fact that it isn't some DJ Premier-level shit. I liked the Slant review that compared Lil B to Ariel Pink...he doesn't seem to have much interest in presenting himself in any specific way, but his passion for his art overwhelms any deficiency in skill.

Oh, and for the record, as much as I despise Odd Future and the hollow, contrived crap they are passing off as "radical" and "iconoclastic," I can't deny that their contributions to hip-hop are a major part of what has made this among the more exciting years for the genre in quite some time. Hip-hop takes itself far too fucking seriously, and for a genre that had started to see a lot of the same faces retain the limelight in lieu of fresh faces, it's very refreshing that admittedly unskilled yet charming individuals like Lil B (and the less charming but certainly more skilled Odd Future, specifically Earl, who seriously needs to be freed soon) get some time in the limelight, and even make some decent music. While I'm not alright with shock taking precedence over quality, if the current controversies of these acts afford them the time to create works of art that receive the attention they deserve (and, in doing so, reflect positively on the genre as a whole) then I'm all for it.

And let's not forget that quality hip-hop has been prevalent this year also, from artists not quite as youthful but just as fresh and passionate as their slightly more fringe contemporaries: Big KRIT and Curren$y released two of my favorite records of the year. The fact that Oneirology is even better than those is simply icing on the cake. I'm feeling as if something really thrilling is stirring in hip-hop, but a lot of bullshit is obscuring the big picture: fresh MCs and producers are beginning to file in, and they have talent. This can only be a good thing. If there's some backlash over them now, fuck it, I'm based.

I hate Lil B with every fiber in my body. If I hear "Swag, WOO" one more fucking time, I will stab someone in the eye.

There are people with far more talent who don't take themselves seriously in hip-hop. Even Mac Miller (who I generally despise) is more skilled than Lil B and is by no means "too serious" for his own good.

Also, Travis, LISTEN TO NUJABES. The fact that nobody responded to my comment about him awhile back indicates that you guys don't listen to him. And, you should. If J Dilla blows your mind, Nujabes will explode it into the next galaxy.

Re: Yonkers, I don't hold in the absurdly high esteem that most seem to, and to be honest, if no one had pointed it out to me as a standout, I never would have paid it the attention that I still unconsciously do. It's decent though, specifically in the lyrical department. Tyler's beats always suck.

Re: Nujabes, I'm on my phone, so I can't watch the videos, but your recommendations have never led me astray, so I'll hit that up later. J Dilla was one of the best things to happen to hip-hop in the past decade, so the comparison is high praise.